Our real life adventures in loving and parenting a with special needs child

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Legacy of a Super Hero

It has been a week since our special needs community lost a true super hero. He was strong, courageous, and he left this world helping others. Super Gavin was just 5 1/2 years old.

Image Courtesy: Chasing Rainbows

I first learned about Gavin Leong through his mom Kate's blog Chasing Rainbows when I started blogging back in July. I was just learning the ropes and started finding other moms online who I could learn how all this blog stuff works. Right away, I was hooked on Kate's blog. Our families had a lot in common--we both had been through years of infertility, both had undiagnosed non-verbal boys, and we do whatever it takes to make their lives better and to help them move forward in the world.

Gavin gave me hope for Matthew's future progress. Kate and her husband Ed were told to take baby Gavin home and make him happy, clearly not expecting him to make gains. Kate sought out alternative therapies and fought to get what Gavin needed. In December, he took his first independent steps and completed the therapy goal of walking 5k, or 3.1 miles, in school. A few days before his last illness, Gavin began using a Big Mac button in school to request water. He was only beginning to tap into his potential and I will always miss seeing what he would have become. Gavin was a shining example that miracles can happen.

In his final days, Gavin touched the hearts and influenced the actions of thousands and thousands of people who he never knew. Kate's Facebook page grew from a few hundred fans to over 16,000 fans at the time I am writing this. As a group we held vigil with Kate and Ed, praying for the miracle we were all so desperately wanting for Gavin. And we cried and prayed together for strength for Kate, Ed and Gavin's younger brother Brian when it was clear that the miracle wasn't coming and Gavin was slipping away. I have never seen such an outpouring of love, prayers and support on Facebook before. It is truly amazing how so many people can come together to love and support a family that they don't even know.

Because of Gavin, children around the world got hugged tighter and longer, their parents knowing that life is fragile and that at any time any one of us could be in his parents' position.

Because of Gavin, people are learning more about organ donation. Kate and Ed selflessly donated Gavin's organs in hopes that others could be healed and that part of Gavin would live on. Thanks to Gavin, a 40 year old man who was in need of a kidney transplant will be getting more time with his family, more holidays, more birthdays.

1 comment:

My heart was just breaking during Gavin's final days. I could hardly read the posts and comments. I know amazing things will come of his short little life but oh, how I wish things could've turned out differently.